Those who came with the slander are a band of you; do not reckon it evil for you; rather it is good for you. Every man of them shall have the sin that he has earned charged to him; and whosoever of them took upon himself the greater part of it, him there awaits a mighty chastisement. 11 Why did not the believing men and the believing women, when you heard it, think well of their own people, and say: This is an evident falsehood? 12 Wherefore did they not bring four witnesses thereof! Then when they brought not the witnesses, those! with Allah they are the liars. 13 But for the bounty of Allah and His Mercy towards you in this life and in the Everlasting Life you would have been sternly punished for that which you were involved. 14 When you received it with your tongues and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge and thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allah, tremendous. 15 And why did you not, when you heard it, say: It does not beseem us that we should talk of it; glory be to Thee! this is a great calumny? 16 Allah admonishes you that in future you should never repeat a thing like this, if you are true Believers. 17 God makes clear to you the signs; and God is All-knowing, All-wise. 18 Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know. 19 Were it not for the favor and mercy of God upon you (you would have faced painful punishment in this world and the life to come). God is Compassionate and Merciful. 20